


Rose Tyler's Homework

by DoctorRiverSong



Category: Doctor Who (2005)
Genre: F/M, Gen, Pre-Series, Rose/Doctor if you squint, but mostly Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-28
Updated: 2017-01-28
Packaged: 2018-09-20 09:28:29
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 653
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9485000
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DoctorRiverSong/pseuds/DoctorRiverSong
Summary: A “Fantastic!” escaped his mouth before he could stop himself, then, “It’s 1992 and I am going to help Rose Tyler with her homework. I really am on a roll.” - Or, that time that Eleven really does go help Rose Tyler with her homework.





	

**Author's Note:**

> Inspired by this line, from The Wedding of River Song: "I have got a time machine, Dorium. It’s all still going on. For me it never stops. Liz the First is still waiting in a glade to elope with me. I could help Rose Tyler with her homework. I could go on all Jack’s stag parties in one night."

And then came the day Rose met the man in the bow tie. Since Jackie couldn’t afford a babysitter this month, Mickey was technically supposed to be keeping an eye on his younger friend, but he had quickly gotten bored of her girly games and run off to play with his cooler friends. Rose didn’t mind; the six year old was currently going through a phase of fascination with school and was not half upset with her mum for kicking her out of the flat in the first place. Now that Shareen had finished braiding Rose’s hair- a skill the blonde girl was incredibly impressed by still- Rose sat down on a bench and pulled her homework from her backpack.

 

She made a face at the list of basic addition problems. School phase or not, maths weren’t her thing. Maybe the reading instead…

 

“Oh, no you don’t. See, I have it on good authority that you will actually use that information later in life.”

 

Rose jumped and looked up at the strange man now sitting next to her. “Who are you?” she asked, instinctively moving a bit away from him.

 

The man laughed. “Not time to mess with timelines quite yet, Rose Tyler. You’ve got another few years. Well, I say a few, but I actually mean more like thirteen if I’ve gotten my time right. What year is it?”

 

“Did you hit your head, mister?”

 

“Ah, yes, and I’ve forgotten the year. “

 

Rose gave him another suspicious look. “It’s 1992.”

 

A “Fantastic!” escaped his mouth before he could stop himself, then, “It’s 1992 and I am going to help Rose Tyler with her homework. I really am on a roll.”

 

“How do you know my name?” Rose was six years old, but not stupid. Strangers- especially ones that did not even know what year it was- were not supposed to know your name. Her mum would probably want her to go home right now, but…

 

“Oh. That. It’s on your paper, there.” Which indeed it was, and that seemed like a perfectly nice reason to Rose at the time. “Now, addition. It’s really quite easy and if you’re smart, which you are, it can be learned in no time. I brought some bananas…”

 

Rose insisted that she learned how to do arithmetic from the man who wore a bow tie, using bananas, at the park , and Jackie thought it was possibly the most adorable imaginary friend story she had ever heard. The first bow tie man-less week was very rough on Rose, who had refused to believe him when he said he wouldn’t be coming back to the park, but eventually she heard the story of her imaginary friend so many times that it sunk in. Until…

 

“So you’ve really never worn a bow tie, then?” Rose crossed her arms as she faced the Doctor, who was looking thoroughly amused by her story.

 

“The gorgeous scarf you’re destroying—“

 

“ _Cleaning_ , Doctor, this thing is filthy!”

 

“—yes. Celery, yes. And technically, bow tie, occasionally, but not with a face like you’re describing.”

 

She still didn’t fully buy it. “And you couldn’t have just, I don’ know, forgotten, maybe?”

 

“Oi, not _that_ old.” The Doctor waved the sonic in Rose’s general direction with a pout. “Would it make you feel better if I promised to wear bow ties and braces like your imaginary friend next time I regenerate?”

 

Rose, not fully over the trauma of his regeneration a few months ago shook her head quickly. “I better not be around to see that happen again.” She saw the Doctor’s teasing smirk and decided to take her own jab. “But, you know, when you do regenerate… maybe get a bunch of hats so you don’t have to spend five hours a day on your bloody hair.”

 

“Rose!”

 

Rose shrugged unsympathetically. “I’m sure you could make fezzes cool, Doctor.” Then, muttered, “Or at least think you are.”


End file.
